Police log

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A gunman held up two people on the 600 block of Winchester Avenue Thursday night, according to Martinsburg City Police.

The two were standing outside the H-Mart convenience store at 8:59 p.m. when a man pointed a gun at them and demanded money, police said.

The robber fled on foot, police said.

The robber was believed to be a black male, wearing a ski mask and gloves, police said.

Police said they searched the area, but were unable to find anyone matching the description of the robber.

Man stable after accidental shooting

FALLING WATERS, W.Va. - A Berkeley County, W.Va., man was in stable condition Thursday at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Unit in Baltimore after accidentally shooting himself in the left leg Tuesday night.

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State police and ambulance personnel were called to the McKowan Road home of Thomas Nichols at 8:24 p.m. Tuesday after he shot himself in the leg with a .30-30-caliber rifle.

Williamsport Ambulance Service Capt. Brian Lowman said that night a man was injured when a rifle accidentally discharged while he was taking it out of his truck for cleaning.

Nichols was in serious condition Wednesday, according to a hospital spokeswoman. He was taken to Washington County Hospital before being transferred to Baltimore.

Liquid nitrogen leaks at farm

FREDERICK, Md. - A liquid nitrogen leak at a farm east of Frederick was under control by the time firefighters from United Fire Co. arrived Thursday afternoon, said Chief Stephen Wisner.

Liquid nitrogen was sprayed on the front of a worker trying to repair a leak in the piping shortly before 3 p.m., Wisner said. That worker had already been cleaned up by the time firefighters arrived, he said.

Eddie Mercer Farms in the 6900 block of Linganore Road adds the liquid nitrogen to liquid fertilizer to spray on fields, Wisner said.

By the time firefighters arrived, Mercer already had a contractor on the site building a dike to capture runoff, which was then pumped to a truck, Wisner said.

The Maryland Department of Environment was contacted and a hazardous cleanup service was called for repairs, he said.

Md. man faces drug charges

FREDERICK, Md. - A Brunswick, Md., man faced drug charges early Thursday after Frederick City Police made a traffic stop.

Bruce Eugene Jacobs, 31, of 22 W. C St., was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while intoxicated, driving on a suspended license and failure to drive right of center, police said.

Jacobs was released on $10,000 bond on Thursday, according to a Frederick County Court commissioner.

The arrest was made after police stopped an Isuzu Rodeo traveling on the wrong side of West College Terrace shortly after 1 a.m., police said.

About $1,000 worth of crack cocaine as well as marijuana and $800 in cash were found, police said.

Suspect sought in tavern burglary

A burglar who apparently hid in the ceiling of Peck's Tavern early Thursday morning to avoid capture was able to get away from state and county police officers.

A warrant for fourth-degree burglary and malicious destruction of property has been issued for Ronald Lee Socks Jr., 29, of 163 N. Conococheague St., Williamsport, according to Washington County Sheriff's deputies.

Deputies first responded to Williamsport at 1:56 a.m. for an alarm at W.R. Hardware Co. at 22 N. Conococheague St. It was discovered that the building had been entered but nothing was taken.

While checking the hardware store, a call came in that someone had just broken out the front window of Peck's Tavern and was inside.

Within minutes, the tavern was surrounded and the building was searched. When no one was found, the police left the scene.

Then the owner of the tavern spotted someone fleeing from the building and tried unsuccessfully to catch him. It was believed he had been hiding in the ceiling of the tavern when it was being searched.